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Methodist University Athletics

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MBKvCovenant.Burden
76
Winner Methodist MUM 17-10
71
Covenant CCM 15-12
Winner
Methodist MUM
17-10
76
Final
71
Covenant CCM
15-12
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Methodist MUM 34 42 76
Covenant CCM 38 33 71

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Ja'Shawn Steward-Johnson

Burden and Mitchell Lift Monarchs To 2nd Straight Championship Appearance

DANVILLE, Va.  Behind a combined 50 points from Dante Burden and Kaymon Mitchell Friday evening, Methodist men's basketball earned its spot into Sunday's USA South Athletic Conference championship for the second consecutive year after defeating Covenant College, 76-71, in the semifinal round of the conference tournament.

Six minutes of championship-winning basketball is what vaulted the Monarchs over the Scots. Burden completely took over the game in the second half, at one point, scoring or assisting on 27 straight points for the Monarchs. Trailing 42-34 early in the second half, Methodist embarked on a game-defining and game-altering 17-3 run over the course of six minutes to find itself with a 51-45 lead. The Monarchs also had to bounce back from an early 20-9 deficit in this game.

Sharing the court with the league's 2019-20 player of the year (Covenant's Will Crumly), it was Burden and Mitchell that stole the show to advance Methodist past the semifinal round. Burden scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half and finished 9-of-17 from the field, with seven rebounds and five assists, all of which were team highs. Burden and Mitchell were the only two Monarchs to score in double-digits. Mitchell had 16 of the team's 34 points in the first half. He finished with 23 on 10-of-12 shooting from the field and a perfect three-for-three from 3-point range. 

THE ESSENTIALS
Final score: Methodist def. Covenant, 76-71
Records: Methodist 17-10; Covenant 15-12
Location: Grant Center; Danville, Virginia
Event: Semifinals; USA South Athletic Conference Tournament

HOW IT HAPPENED
  • You will not see a more dominant stretch of basketball than Burden scoring or assisting on 27 straight points in the second half of this game. The first-team all-conference selection made his case that he was snubbed of something even more as he scored all 21 of his second half points in the final 12 minutes of the game. He scored or assisted on the final nine field goals for Methodist.
  • With seven minutes to play, Kevin McLaughlin Jr. gave the Monarchs an eight-point advantage, and Burden free throws in the next possession gave Methodist a 58-48 lead, its largest of the game.
  • The Scots fought back with a 10-2 run to make it a two-point, 60-58, game with under four minutes remaining. Covenant cut the deficit even further after a Chris Barnette jumper made it a 63-62 game with around two minutes left.
  • Holding the slim one-point edge, Burden scored seven straight points to give Methodist a 70-64 lead with just 48 ticks remaining. Burden and McLaughlin Jr. went a perfect six-for-six at the charity stripe to seal a trip to the championship.
  • A Scots' three-pointer was the only Covenant basket that separated Methodist runs of 8-0 and 9-0. In the totality of the six-minute span, Methodist shot 7-of-10 with three made threes while Covenant went one-of-seven with four turnovers.
  • Trailing 20-9 at the 13-minute mark of the first half, the Monarchs used a 9-0 run to eat into that deficit. An 8-0 run in the middle of the period gave Methodist its first lead (28-24) since the opening bucket. The Scots had a quick response of a 12-0 run to retake the lead en route to a 38-34 halftime advantage.

STAT FACTS
  • Calvin Manley added nine points and three rebounds, McLaughlin Jr. had nine points and four boards, and Garren Dearman had three steals to go along with six points.
  • Methodist was on fire in the second half, shooting 13-of-26 (50 percent) from the field, five-of-six (83 percent) from deep, and a perfect 11-of-11 from the line.
  • After shooting 64 percent (16-of-25) from the field and 50 percent (four-of-eight) from deep in the first half, the Scots shot 44 percent (12-of-27) and 33 percent (4-of-12) in the second.
  • Chris Barnette played all 40 minutes for Covenant, scoring 31 points on 12-of-15 shooting. Crumly was held to 11 points on nine shots and six rebounds.
  • It has been déjà vu for the Monarchs. For the second consecutive season, the Monarchs are heading to the championship after again defeating William Peace in the first round and Covenant in the semifinals of the conference tournament.

UP NEXT
The Monarchs will play Huntingdon College -- which defeated tournament host Averett University, 86-84, in the second semifinal -- for the conference crown Saturday at 6 p.m. in Danville, Va.
    
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